“For many, it was their first opportunity to get professional help.”

By Mahassen Ghobrial

In March 2017, I had the privilege of joining Health Teams International (HTI) on a medical mission trip to Cabarete, Dominican Republic. The purpose of the medical mission was evangelism. Our team of 16 Christian healthcare professionals provided free medical, dental, and vision care to community members, while a members of a local congregation did outreach work.

Cabarete is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic where thousands of Dominicans and Haitian migrants live. Many are poor and have no access to public hospitals for much-needed treatment. They must live without health care.

The team included doctors, nurses, dentists, dental assistants, vision specialists, as well as two young volunteer students.

We joined forces with two Canadians missionaries based in Cabarete for part of the year, who organized the logistical needs of running a medical clinic and recruiting volunteer translators. We brought our own supply of medications (mostly donated by pharmaceutical companies), as well as an abundance of dental supplies, eyeglasses, and vision testing equipment.

The medical mission team and the mayor of Cabarete. Photo courtesy of Mahassen Ghobrial.

Each morning, after group devotions, we traveled to the site of our medical clinics: ironically an abandoned funeral home. At our arrival, a long line up of patients were already waiting to be seen. For many, it was their first opportunity to get professional help for their ailment. Many had very serious untreated ailments including advanced dental caries, severe vision problems, diabetes, and fungal infections.

One young girl that we treated arrived with scars from 3rd-degree burns over 30 percent of her body. When she was 4-years old she was left with an aunt because her mother had to work. The aunt left her alone in the house and a fire started. She could not escape until it was much too late. Although she has many scars, she was grateful that she was alive to tell the story.

Our small team treated a total of 1432 patients over six days. The health system in Cabarete continues to be desperate with little hope for systemic change. However, for us, a very important part of our work was the evangelism that took place.

Alongside the clinics, we set up evangelism centers for children, where they could listen to Bible stories, make balloon animals, sing songs, and play games with members of a local church. Children were given “salvation bracelets” which was an excellent and fun way to explain the gospel. The bracelets were even popular with adults. All of our patients had an opportunity to get a gospel tract in either Spanish or Creole.

Although this was my ninth trip with HTI it was a particularly special year for me. My son, who is also a physician, and my granddaughter where with me there, caring for the community members. A three-generational team at their service—how blessed and happy I was!

Mahassen stands with her son and granddaughter. Photo courtesy of Mahassen Ghobrial.

As much as I choose to take part in these trips to help those in need and give back to a community, I always end up being blessed by them. I learn so much from the different ways of life the people there live and their rich culture. I am already looking forward to our next trip to Cabarete, in March 2018.

Mahassen Ghobrial is an Ottawa-based pediatrician. She is passionate about serving people through her profession and spreading the gospel.